I had 4 days until my night shifts started on Monday. So I hatched a flexible plan to go round the Isle of Sheppey to the Swale at Harty ferry. I got down to Blue Venture an hour before high water and loaded up with food, beer and wine. I marked my mooring ropes with electrical tape so I knew how to set them when I came back. Had a final check around then cast off. Motoring down Gillingham Reach I got in the fenders and plank, put the anchor in position ready to drop and generally tidied up.In Pinup Reach I put the mainsail up with 2 reefs in, but It was not long before I decided to take out 1 reef as it was not that windy at all. I made steady progress down river and I was soon rounding the Stangate Spit buoy and heading for the anchorage half way down the creek I had used before. Blue Venture sat steadily at anchor in the light wind and I cooked tea and drank some wine while listening to the radio.
The alarm went off at 06:40 and I was up and heaving up the anchor before sunrise. There was not a breath of wind and the decks had become icy under the clear skies. I turned East instead of West once out of Stangate Creek and headed out past Sheerness and Garrison point into the Medway approach channel. As I approached the wreck of the Montgomery a bit of a breeze began to ruffle the surface of the water so I hoisted sail and switched off the engine. It is so much more pleasurable to be under sail alone, just the sound of wind on canvas, the creek of rope and the gurgle of water as it rushes past the hull. By now the tide had turned and with the wind not bowling me along at a great rate of knots, it was obvious I would be unlikely to make the Swale much before nightfall. And with the forecast for strong winds the following day I decided to head back to Stangate creek.
It was an excellent sail back to the Medway tacking into the wind and with the tide to help me I was back where I had started quicker than anticipated. Heading back down Stangate Creek I decided to try anchoring off of Slaughter House point. I chucked the hook over the bow and let out what I estimated to be 4/5 x the depth of warp. I really must mark the anchor warp so I know how much I have let out rather than just estimating. Engine off kettle on. I stood looking out the companionway hatch, tea in hand, reflecting on the mornings sailing when I spotted a Porpoise. I wasn’t sure at first, but it surfaced 3 times and I even got a rather naff photo, but it was definitely a Porpoise.
As evening wore on the wind picked up and by midnight was blowing a steady NW 6/7 . It was quite exposed where I was at high water and I was beginning to regret trying a new anchorage. What was worrying was that I was being blow towards the shore and if I should suddenly start dragging or even worse the warp parting I would soon be aground. I spent a very anxious 4 hours sat in my wet weather gear dashing up on deck and checking my position and the state of the warp every time the GPS alarm went off saying I had moved more than 30 metres. I started off setting it at 20 but it was going off constantly. Eventually the tide turned so she sat a little easier in the water and the mud banks started to offer some protection as the tide fell. I felt confident enough to get out of my wet weather gear and crawl into my sleeping bag. I stayed there till 09:30. The day was spent cleaning and doing odd jobs around the boat. In the afternoon the wind eased and the forecast was for light winds through the night. I hatched a plan to weigh anchor at low water and head back to Gillingham reach, tie up to one of the club buoys for a few hours and then into the club basin and tie up at high water. 21:30 low water and the anchor came up no bother. There was a bit of a breeze blowing and I was well wrapped up against the chill night air. I had not navigated the river at night before so I left the sails down and motored in. it was pleasant coming up river under the stars and I was soon back in Gillingham Reach. I managed to grab a buoy first time and I was all tied up and ready for a couple of hours kip by midnight. 03:10 and I was up and ready to let go and head in to my birth, I took it steady and entered the calm of the yacht club basin. Hard to port to get her swung round, then slowly, slowly alongside. No dramas. I tied up pleased I had marked my lines before leaving and was home by 05:30. Looking back I was happy with the trip, my new waterproofs were excellent and I had sailed solo for a few hours without having any major problems, I was getting better and more confident handling the boat under sail and with the engine. The following morning I went down to Faversham to see Allen Thorne to get a new tiller made up, I left him the old one as a pattern and it should be ready in a couple of weeks. So where to next? That depends on time and weather, I should try sailing in slightly stronger winds, but I do not wish to push it. I will take it steady, after all I have all year to go sailing.